bob-builds-labs

This Lab will use Ansible to download, deploy and configure PPDM Agents and Registrations

Variable Assignments

the lab uses automated, prepopulated Variables for most of the ansible Playbooks
The Variables are assigned via Environment vars, loaded automatically by the “direnv” shell extension direnv
This perfectly Simulates a Pipeline approach, we Variables would be assigned from a Request Tool such as Snow, and Credentials provided via a Vault Please make sure to use the assigned directories for the labs

The Inventory

ansible communicates with remote hosts (Inventory) using ssh / winrm. Remote host do not require ansible to be deployed, but do require Python. Python is already configured on the Remote Hosts in thr Lab.

Remote Hosts are treated as “Inventory”, that ansible will gather “Facts” from ( OS releated information, Network Software etc )

We can define our Inventory via Invetory Files. Most Likely, Inventory files are stored in a GitOps Structure. The Inventory Files are stored with the adjesent lab directories

Example Inventory File

windows:    # <- a group of Hosts addressed as windows
  children:
    databasehosts:  # <- a group of Hosts addressed as databasehosts
      hosts:
        sql01: # <- an indivisual Host adressed as sql01
        sql02:
          ansible_host: sql02.demo.local # <- an indivisual Host adressed as sql02. resolvable as sql02.demo.local
      vars: # specific Vars for the Group Database Hosts
        app_agent: ""
        app_agent_product_id: '{165F48F4-38C4-49DF-904E-4A23D39078BF}'
    filehosts:
      hosts:
        file:
      vars:
        app_agent: ""
        app_agent_product_id: '{49C974B3-BA72-485C-9A96-794B065339DF}'
    exchangehosts:
      hosts:
        exchange1:
        exchange2:
      vars:
        app_agent: ""
        app_agent_product_id: '{165F48F4-38C4-49DF-904E-4A23D39078BF}'
  vars: # -> vars for all Windows Hosts
    ansible_user: administrator
    ansible_password: Password123!
    ansible_winrm_scheme: https
    ansible_winrm_server_cert_validation: ignore
    ansible_shell_type: cmd
    ansible_connection: winrm

clone the lab environment direnv structure from github

git clone https://github.com/bob-builds-labs/0499.git ~/workspace/0499

Change to lab1 direcory

changing to lab1 directory will load the required variables for lab1

cd ~/workspace/0499/lab1
direnv allow .

Make sure PPDM is Powered on and Running:

ansible-playbook ../playbooks/start_stop_vms_by_vm_names.yaml -e vm_names='ppdm-1' -e state=start
# govc equivalent:
# govc vm.power -on -vm.ipath="$(govc find / -type m -name ppdm-1)"

list Agents on PPDM Host

ansible-playbook ~/workspace/ansible_ppdm/100.0_list_agents.yml

Download Agents from PPDM Host to JumpBox

ansible-playbook ~/workspace/ansible_ppdm/100.1_download_agents.yml

this will create a directory structure in /tmp by default ( destination can be changed with parameter -e “download_destination=/whereeveriam” )

configure PPDM to use DNS for Agent name Resolution

as we will register the agents to ppdm using the fqdn, we need to enable DNS for Agents on the PPDM Host:

ansible-playbook ~/workspace/ansible_ppdm/100.2_set_dns_for_agents.yaml

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